Our Commitment to Students | Our Commitment to Educators | Our Commitment to School Districts
OUR COMMITMENT TO PARENTS
At iCivics, we’re proud to say that our curriculum staff is made up exclusively of former teachers — dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to ensure educators have accurate, objective, nonpartisan resources that make civics and history relevant, fun, and thought-provoking for your children. As it turns out, many of us are also parents. Just like you, we send our kids to school every day, entrusting their safety, care, and academic development to school faculty and staff. We therefore take seriously the instructional materials we provide, knowing they will be used in classrooms all over the country, including the ones to which we send our own children. Our mission is clear: to champion equitable, nonpartisan civic education so that the practice of democracy is learned by each new generation, which includes your children and ours.
High Quality
iCivics is committed to providing the highest quality resources and programs for students, educators, and parents/caregivers. Our materials are produced and reviewed by teachers and scholars who are experts in their fields. This means parents/caregivers can rest assured children are getting the highest quality, most thorough civic education possible.
Engaging
iCivics is committed to enhancing the delivery of state standards through engaging and relevant content that develops civic skills and dispositions. Since 2009, iCivics has been the leading provider of high quality and engaging civic education with a first-of-its-kind digital civic library including more than 260 curricular resources, digital literacy tools, professional learning materials, and educational video games.
Nonpartisan
iCivics is committed to nonpartisan civic education that is engaging, trustworthy, and useful. We approach civic education in a way that reflects the experiences and contributions of various peoples, engaging across a plurality of viewpoints. iCivics believes that constitutional democracy is made stronger through the act of civil discourse across a range of viewpoints
Meets State Standards
iCivics is committed to developing high-quality materials that meet the standards of the states in which they are used. We design our resources to meet educators' myriad instructional needs with minimal preparation required. All instructional materials have been linked to standards from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Customizable
iCivics is committed to providing students with high-quality materials that are relevant to their local context. This is why our materials are customizable, allowing school districts and teachers to adapt them in order to meet state and district policies.
Our Independent Review Council
The iCivics Independent Review Council is composed of well-respected scholars, thought leaders, and practitioners representing a range of viewpoints. They help ensure the fidelity of iCivics resources to our core brand values and pedagogical principles, focusing on accuracy, contextuality, objectivity, and political balance.
In addition, iCivics adheres to strict editorial independence and does not allow funders to guide curriculum decisions or direct specific findings.
Resource Feedback
We welcome constructive suggestions and feedback from users of iCivics resources. If you would like to provide such feedback, please submit a support ticket. Thank you for your interest in iCivics resources and materials, and ensuring the highest quality civic education for sustaining and strengthening our nation’s constitutional democracy.
FAQs for parents:
Who funds iCivics?
iCivics works to ensure every student in America receives a quality and engaging civic education and graduates from high school well prepared and enthusiastic for citizenship. Our funders include individuals and organizations committed to effective civic education as essential for the health of our constitutional democracy. Learn more by visiting Our Supporters page. iCivics adheres to strict editorial independence and does not allow funders to guide curriculum decisions or direct specific findings.
Is iCivics nonpartisan?
iCivics is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization championing equitable, nonpartisan civic education so that the practice of democracy is learned by each new generation. We believe that constitutional democracy is made stronger through the act of civil discourse across a range of viewpoints. Our commitment to high-quality civic education means that our materials reflect the experiences and contributions of various peoples, engaging across a plurality of viewpoints.
Does iCivics advocate for education policy?
iCivics founded CivXNow, a national cross-partisan coalition of over 300 organizations focused on improving our nation’s K-12 in- and out-of-school civic education. The coalition supports bipartisan legislation on both the federal and state levels.
Does iCivics retain any student information?
iCivics is firmly committed to respecting the privacy rights of all visitors to our website atwww.icivics.org or any successor website. Learn more by reading our Privacy Policy.
How do you ensure your materials are of the highest quality?
Educators and scholars who are experts in their fields are involved throughout the development of iCivics materials, from the expertise of iCivics’ educator-staff to practitioners and subject-matter experts in early-stage development to final review by the iCivics Independent Review Council. Scholars ensure the highest levels of accuracy and academic rigor, and practitioners ensure our materials meet the needs of educators and their students in today’s classrooms.
Who is on the iCivics Independent Review Council?
The iCivics Independent Review Council is composed of well-respected scholars, thought leaders, and practitioners representing a range of viewpoints. They help ensure the fidelity of iCivics resources to our core brand values, pedagogical principles, focusing on accuracy, contextuality, objectivity, and political balance.
How can parents explore the variety of iCivics materials?
Parents can explore the iCivics library by visiting the Teach Page on our site.Here, parents can browse the full inventory of civic education resources iCivics provides educators. Keep in mind that all of our materials are made in a way that teachers can customize them for their local needs. In order to access the full suite of resources, you must create an account and select “Parent” under the educator categories.
Do you provide materials for use in home learning?
Learning—particularly civic learning—goes beyond the classroom. iCivics games are free and accessible from anywhere online. This provides a great opportunity for families, parents, and caregivers to be involved in their child’s learning, discussing the civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions gained through gameplay and related learning. We encourage parents and caregivers to play our games and extend their child’s learning by discussing the various topics that arise and inspiring continued exploration, study, and critical thinking. Checkout our Activities to support civic learning at home for more information.
How does iCivics know that its materials are making an impact?
We are consistently validated by good evidence. Independent research confirms our resources produce clear and tangible benefits to students – even after controlling for gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. Even more promising: over half the students that play our games in school play them again at home on their own time. Our materials improve students’ civic knowledge, civic attitudes, and core literacy skills. Students are challenged to learn and engage with the material, and have fun in the process. New evidence is pointing to the power of matching iCivics games with authentic civic engagement experiences. Learn more on our Proven Impact page.